Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Week 38 ~ The Hills are alive, with my blood and sweat~ VWU

Thank you for all of your happy thoughts, I think it worked. Elder Vester seemed much better on Monday, at least he didn't seem too overwhelmed with everything.
Enjoy his email:
**********************************************************

Hey Yall.
This week has been good!
Lots of doors knocked, lots of people in the street contacted, lots of new people taught, and lots of sweat spent hiking up these hills.
So, I really don't have any fun stories or whatnot to share. So, Let me teach you a parable.
There was once a gardener. This gardener was very wise, and knew what was best for his garden.
This gardener had many children.
The duty of the children was to help their father in the Garden.
Many listened, and answered the call of the gardener, and many did not.
The work of the children was to tend the garden, and to plant the seeds.
The children had to first repair the earth, removing the weeds, and turning the soil. Then, they had to plant the seeds.
However, the children found that some parts of the soil was richer then others.
The children would dance with delight to see the first shoots of the plants come forth, and would water them, excitedly waiting for the plant to grow.
However, the children learned after time, that because of the nature of the soil, seeds would grow at different rates, and some, not at all.
And after enough time, the children would leave the garden, and the younger children would take their place, learning from the examples of the other workers, and learning by their own experience; 
The children that left were always sad to leave the seeds they had planted, and cared for, for so long, and much love, or too see the plants wither, and die.
This, is much how Missionary work is.
Only the gardener, Our Heavenly Father over sees the fruits of all our labors.
The seed, is the word of god, and the children working in the garden are the missionaries.
The soil is the non-members, and the water is the spirit.
Every day, I see the seeds I plant. Some, are growing, and becoming strong plants. Others have sprouted, and withered, some I have yet to see grow.
But all the same, we are planting seeds.
How does the parable end?
Only Heavenly Father knows. 
But my work I've been given is not over; Not even close.
I have only been here for 8 months, and I am so grateful I still have many more months to work here in Brazil, teaching the people of our Savor Jesus Christ.
I have a bus trip tomorrow to Vitória tomorrow, so I'll be getting letters from the last 6 weeks!
:D Yay!
I love you all, and wish you well.
<3
Com Amor
Èlder Vester



I bought new headphones~ pretty, yes?




Some members opened a lanchonette, and I took pics~




Monday, May 20, 2013

Week 37 ~ Happy thoughts for Elder Vester ~ WVU

Well it has been one of those weeks for Elder Vester. He really needs your happy thoughts. He is experiencing the real world out there and doesn't like it very much. Him and his companion have anew location to be in charge of and it is always hard when there is change. I know the people in the area where he was serving really loved him, so it will just take time for the people in the new area to know and love him, and they will because he is very lovable! So transfers are this week and he in in the same location with the same companion just a different area.
Please remember him in your prayers and send happy thoughts his way.
There are just pictures from Elder Vester this week.
***************************************************************


The sky was pretty, and I was too, so I took a photo~

Dirstric Cachoeiro!

Dirstric Cachoeiro!

My little chocolate/ice cream bonbons. c:

I'm so pretty~

Taco Night with Lucimar

I've started drawing again!

And Lunch with Michelle and Ivaldo.
She burnt the chicken. lol

Friday, May 17, 2013

Week 36 ~ So, I'm all old and stuff now. VWU

Had a great time on skype with Elder Vester, it was wonderful to be able to see and hear from. The people in his Ward really love him, they kept going on and on about what a great job he is doing and that they call him there white son! They took up a half an hour tell us how wonderful Elder Vester is, something that we already knew.
A picture of us talking on Skype for Mother's Day.


****************************************************************************
Email from Elder Vester:
 
 
So, what's new with the Vester?
This week, not too much. The work has come to a halt, and we're trying to find out what we can do better. Not every week can week can be hunky-dory as a missionary. lol
But, I'm doing well. I'm a little tried of falling commitments, and such, but, It's all good. 
I know the  Lord has a hand in everything going on, and that he's leading us to the people who truly want the Gospel in their lives.
Also, many thanks for all the birthday wishes!
So, enjoy my crazy photos; Cuz I sure do~
 
 
 
I found a possum in the tree in the church. Who knew Brazil had these things?

My big black Cachoeiro family. <3 They threw a party for me. WITH 3 DIFFERENT KINDS OF CAKE. #Loved it

I went shopping for my birthday last week. Lefoll took pictures for me. :D

and another one

and another one

I love the one with Toast. Just tell me that I'm not beautiful with overly burnt toast.

This is the view from where we had lunch on Sunday.
 

Monday, May 6, 2013

Week 35 ~ May is the Month of Magic! :VWU

What a sweet tribute to Elder Vester's momma. He made me cry. I couldn't ask for anything better than this, except maybe to be able to talk to him on Sunday for Mother's Day! We get to skype - can hardly wait! Won't be able to talk to him as long but at least we will get to see him and talk to him!

**********************************************************
Here is his sweet email:

Just in case ya'll forgot. VWU means Vester's Weekly Update.
So, as far as the work goes, this week has been very, very hard. Lots of rejection, lots of people not showing up, and lots of slammed doors. But, such is the life of a missionary. So, rather then focusing on something sad this week, I'll write about someone very special to me.
And Behold another part of my area. This Barro is called Baiminas.
It's FULL of mosquitoes. ew. - He told me he was being pretty!
My Momma.
This last Sunday was 2 anniversaries. 1, 8 months of mission for Elder Vester (6 months in the field.) and 40 years in the church for my mom and dad.
What a blessing it has been for me to have been born in the church, and to have been raised by the amazing mother I have.
She was born and raised in less then favorable circumstances, and she's come out on top. She is an amazing example to me of strength, inner-peace, and  pure will power.
I am nothing without my mother. Half of who I am, I owe to her. She has been so strong in the Gospel, and I could not have asked for a better mother.
because God knows that She was the only woman capable of putting up with my craziness. She's amazing, and I love her.
I've truly come to realize just how much my mother did for me when I was at home, and how much she continues to do for me here in the mission field.
Do you guys know, that every day she gets up at 4 in the morning, just to be able to chat with me as I write my emails? 
Do you know, that every week, she writes me a letter, and every week, she bares her testimony of the Gospel.
And every week, she tells me exactly what I needed, to get over the trial I was facing.
Do you know just how wonderful my mother is?
No. But you can imagine.
She's what makes the month of May magical. She's my rock, and knows exactly what to say; She's soamazingly close to the spirit, that she is able to feel when I am having a hard time, and somehow, it's always the exact moment when I feel like this is too much, and I cant go on.
I know that Heavenly Father hears the prayers of mothers, and he answers them. I know that every day, my mother pleads on her knees to Heavenly Father, to bless me with protection, and with people who would be willing to accept us into their homes, to teach the Gospel, and to have the strength it carry on.
And I know, that a huge part of the reason I am always feeling the hand of the Lord sustaining me in this work, is because of the tender love of my mother.
Like the 2000 stripling warriors, I doubt not, nor do I fear.
Why?
Because My mother taught me.
I love you mom.
We then went to the Young Men's President's house for a FHE and parteh~
T'was cute.
And I cant wait to talk to you next week.
Monday was my companion's birthday, he went fishing. Behold, his fish. lol
Stay beautiful everyone!
This is is what happens when I leave for 5 minutes, and don't guard my camera. Yay. Looks to me like he is getting into kissing the fish!
I love you all, and miss you all.
But mostly my momma.
:P
Tchazinho.
Elder Vester